So how did you feel knowing that if you chose to watch "Selection Sunday" you weren't going to be in suspense as to IF we are in or WHERE ARE WE GOING or WHO ARE WE PLAYING?

I watched out of habit this year knowing all those questions had been answered long ago. I thought about the last few years and how great it felt to know with certitude that we were going to be a part of "IT".

It started with the surprise that first year we were called up with Archie in command and except for the last couple of years not advancing the excitement was all there till the end.

I hope ... no ... I REALLY REALLY HOPE that next year we are at least in the mix (a la the Bonnie's) for the NCAA.

I saw some improvement in the last few games (yet sometimes inconsistent play did show its' ugly head). So I have some hope at the moment!

"What could of been" has turned into "what could be" all over again! I saw some names yesterday that seem to make it every year (no not the blue bloods) ... Wichita State, Gonzaga, PENN.

I also saw the names of teams that once again are there most likely ONLY due to their conference affiliation.

Too early to know who all the OOC games are against H/H and buy in's. What is the exempt tourney next year?

Besides the 2 named newcomers does anyone have an inside track as to a replacement for XW? Does the replacement have to be a 6-9 (or above) guy?

Yesterday felt different for us all, but on the bright side (and despite predictions that the A10 was a 1 bid league with 2 max if URI didn't get the auto-bid), the conference has 3 reps, so that's good. And the same talking heads predicting 1/2 bids now think Davidson can make some noise and even beat UK.

Also good to see 3 of our non-conf opponents make the dance (Auburn, Ga State, Penn) with two very very close (St Mary's, Wagner (had LIU-Brooklyn not upset them)).

I don't think AG is going to let the grass grow under his feet in moving out and reshaping the roster, with the press release on XW being just the first step. I expect the news on others to come sooner rather than later. Missing the Dance is not good, but it gives AG an early jump on recruiting, be it JUCO, grad transfers or future classes.

Now onward hoping for an early exit for _avier, more success for Wright State, and looking forward to next season!

Xavier

XAVIER MUSKETEERS
Dayton's biggest rival dating back to the early 1900s. Founded in 1831, Xavier University is a Jesuit, Catholic university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its three colleges offer 78 undergraduate majors, 43 minors and 11 graduate programs to 6,646 total students, including 3,961 undergraduates. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide. Xavier's nickname is the Musketeers and are fellow A10 Conference members.

Rhode Island

RHODE ISLAND
The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

RHODE ISLAND
The University of Rhode Island was chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1892. Located in southern Rhode Island, URI is a quintessential New England campus - rural in feeling yet close to the city of Providence, the state's capital. Linked to the city, the beaches, and nearly every corner of the state by both rail and public transit, the campus is easily accessible from Boston and New York URI currently offers 100 majors in seven degree-granting colleges. There are more than 12,000 students on the Kingston campus, about 3,000 in Providence, and a complement of about 700 faculty. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Rams.

Grant's teams have historically been very good defensive teams. This year was an anomaly, and given a summer to work with with the foundation he has set, the Flyers should see marked improvement next year over this year.

Offensively, the Flyers should be better next year. I expect Crutcher and Davis to improve, and Kostas to put on some muscle. Trey and Josh will bring what they have. Mikesell will be back, and we will get to see Toppin for the first time. Svoboda will hopefully learn the NCAA 3 point line and a quicker release. That is a pretty good nucleus, and I haven't even mentioned the newcomers that we know so far, Matos and Cohill.

So, for next season, barring injuries, I envision a deeper team with an improved offense and a much better defense. And with a deeper team comes the ability to be more aggressive on the boards, as fouls won't be quite as important, there's always a sub.

Grant's teams have historically been very good defensive teams. This year was an anomaly, and given a summer to work with with the foundation he has set, the Flyers should see marked improvement next year over this year.

Offensively, the Flyers should be better next year. I expect Crutcher and Davis to improve, and Kostas to put on some muscle. Trey and Josh will bring what they have. Mikesell will be back, and we will get to see Toppin for the first time. Svoboda will hopefully learn the NCAA 3 point line and a quicker release. That is a pretty good nucleus, and I haven't even mentioned the newcomers that we know so far, Matos and Cohill.

So, for next season, barring injuries, I envision a deeper team with an improved offense and a much better defense. And with a deeper team comes the ability to be more aggressive on the boards, as fouls won't be quite as important, there's always a sub.

The potential of Quadrant one wins in this tournament is unreal! Those may be the only quadrant ones we have a shot at next year. Any idea of the at-large is which number of teams have a least These wins?
To answer the original question, I wasn’t even home when it was on last night. I was traveling back from Pittsburgh. I was thinking to myself, I can just look at the bracket later. It really is a different experience.Posted via Mobile Device

I just realized it wasn't the UD administration being overly concerned about the First Four that caused this down year for men's basketball. St. Patrick's day is on a Saturday this year. Can you imagine what would happen if the perfect storm of a Flyer upset victory happened this Saturday? You think Archie leaving was due to the four seniors graduating and the IU job being available? I think not. You think XW decided to play video games on his own? Ryan Mikesell having surgery this offseason? Put it all together and it is very clear why things happened the way they did.

I would not be surprised at all to see Wisconsin drop out of the Battle of Atlantis.

20 Big Ten games, Marquette, ACC/Big10 Challenge and possibly the Gavitt Games with the Big East. With Atlantis that's 25-26 games against top tier opponents. That would be one of the most difficult schedules in college history

I would not be surprised at all to see Wisconsin drop out of the Battle of Atlantis.

20 Big Ten games, Marquette, ACC/Big10 Challenge and possibly the Gavitt Games with the Big East. With Atlantis that's 25-26 games against top tier opponents. That would be one of the most difficult schedules in college history

I would not be surprised at all to see Wisconsin drop out of the Battle of Atlantis.

20 Big Ten games, Marquette, ACC/Big10 Challenge and possibly the Gavitt Games with the Big East. With Atlantis that's 25-26 games against top tier opponents. That would be one of the most difficult schedules in college history

Isn’t that the whole point of the emphasis on Quad 1 wins? Next year Wisconsin can go 7-5 non-con, 9-11 in Big 10, win 2 games in the B10 Tourney, and end up on the right side of the bubble by virtue of its 6 Quad 1 wins. Never mind that none of the 6 came in a true road game. And never mind that they finish 6-14 against Quad 1 teams. The 6 qualifying wins in Quad 1 would be favorable to Dayton pulling off the stunner and winning the Battle4Atlantis title and going 3-0 on the season against Quad 1’s.

That scenario may be a slight exaggeration but it’s basically the kind of thing I heard from Chairman Rasmussen on the nearly unwatchable selection show.

Isn’t that the whole point of the emphasis on Quad 1 wins? Next year Wisconsin can go 7-5 non-con, 9-11 in Big 10, win 2 games in the B10 Tourney, and end up on the right side of the bubble by virtue of its 6 Quad 1 wins. Never mind that none of the 6 came in a true road game. And never mind that they finish 6-14 against Quad 1 teams. The 6 qualifying wins in Quad 1 would be favorable to Dayton pulling off the stunner and winning the Battle4Atlantis title and going 3-0 on the season against Quad 1’s.

That scenario may be a slight exaggeration but it’s basically the kind of thing I heard from Chairman Rasmussen on the nearly unwatchable selection show.

They can get all the wins they need in the Big 10, from Marquette and Big 10/ACC Challenge. 22 out of the 30 or 31 games they play are against power teams.

3 more neutral sites is a lot for a team to take and playing 3/4 of your games against high quality competition is a bear.

Based on the dates they could come back from Atlantis and play in the Big 10/ACC Challenge and shortly after play their 2 early Big 10 games in December.

Remember the days when coaches used to say you need to play the best to be the best...ahhh the good old days.

Yes, but the general attitude among P5+1 schools is “We are the best, and we’re playing each other, so by definition we’re playing the best.” Not all have that mindset, but it is a general attitude among the blue bloods. They’re Judge Smails, and we’re Al Czervik, trying to break into their little club.Posted via Mobile Device

Yes, but the general attitude among P5+1 schools is “We are the best, and we’re playing each other, so by definition we’re playing the best.” Not all have that mindset, but it is a general attitude among the blue bloods. They’re Judge Smails, and we’re Al Czervik, trying to break into their little club.Posted via Mobile Device

Which is why post season tournament performance is so important for the small conferences, especially the A10. This is the only way to vindicate. Makes me laugh whenever the NCAA selection chairman is interviewed to defend the committee and you always hear the comment "strength of schedule" or lack thereof and "quality of work". Small conferences might get 1 or 2 away games at best with a quality opponent. You'd never see a Duke doing a home and home against UD unless UD went there for abuse 10 straight years. Seems like Purnell did have us there once. That's the direction this A10 conference needs to take; the John Chaney attitude that "we'll play anybody anywhere anytime"

Will Crosby stay or will he go? (I really don't know for certain but since he has played some minutes I think the decision would belong to him if he accepted that role.)

Is Pierce staying or will he be asked to go? (Here I think he is gone after a discussion with AG. Could there be some redeeming characteristic for him to stay on the team .... maybe ... maybe not but here I think it really is up to AG not the player himself.)

Will all the coaching staff stay? (This could be interesting if someone jumps to another program as the coaching carousel starts to spin after the NCAA.)